If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Re: The current price of sugar.

Two months ago sugar on the commodities market was at 12.7 cents/lb

This will hit the stores soon so stock up.
Sounds like good information!
The store manager at ALBERTSONS once told me that they did not make much on sugar.
Many years ago I heard at a California Bee Convention that the price of sugar and the price of honey was separated.
Regards,
Ernie

Re: The current price of sugar.

I generally buy my sugar from SAM'S CLUB, 50# bags for $22.79 (that around 46 cents a pound). I haven't seen a price increase for some time. I'll buy a dozen bags at a time.

There have been times I've bought the 4-lb bags on sale for $.99 at our local grocery. Often there is a limit of how many I can buy, but if not, and I fill the cart, then I have to deal with the cute high school girl who giggles, "Making a lot of Kool-aid?"

I just smile back and say, "Yeah. Vacation Bible School." Then murmer, "You wouldn't understand." She usually takes my word for how many bags are in the cart rather than bother with taking all of them out and scanning each one individually. I frequently find check out clerks who need to repeatedly scan the one bag 100 times rather than find the "quantity" key on the computer after scanning one bag.

The other downside to filling a shopping cart in a very public store are those people who say, "Buying all that sugar to make honey?"

That's not the rumor I need spread around town by ignorant people who think my honey is nothing more than converted sugar syrup. I usually do this sugar shopping late at night when all the nosy people are home watching the news. It's a 24-hour store, thankfully.

As for mixing, I bought one of those barrel heaters that wraps around the bottom of a 55-gallon corn syrup drum. I've done the turkey boiler and got tired of refilling the propane tank. I've done the large pot on a wood fire, but finally broke down and bought the electric heater. This heater was purchased at Grainger for around $300 with shipping. I bought the largest wattage for the most efficient heating. There are cheaper models.

I pour five, five-gallon buckets of water (25 gallons total) then plug the heater in and let it warm up for four to five hours (with the lid on the drum to prevent evaporation).

When I return, I'll pour my sugar into a five-gallon bucket (my "measuring cup") and add ten of them to the hot water. I got a paint mixer-stir gizmo for my electric drill (for five-gallon buckets of paint) and give it a good stir for about ten minutes. Then I put the lid back on the drum and generally let the heater work for another two hours. I unplug it and let the syrup cool, again with the lid on. I may add some megabee protein supplement to this mix depending on the time of year and stir it in at this point.

Yes, there is some degree of undissolved sugar that settles, but it's not much.

I went to my farm supply store and bought a drum pump. It fits on the 2" bung hole and I can pump the syrup into jars or buckets.

Yeah, it costs more, but I find with the success of my bee operation, I have more money than time and I need to manage my time more closely and more efficiently.

Re: The current price of sugar.

I have found my rock bottom price. FredMeyer has 25 lb bag of there private label sugar for 12.79-1.28 (10%)= .46lb. My son gets an employee discount of 10%. I dont think I can beat this. It saves me a whole .03lb from costco.